Escape Brides/Grooms...Let's talk!?!

[girli565]

Random flower question:

Does anyone know the "value" of the bouquet included in the Escape package? I am not using traditional flowers (I am using wheat and lavender) so my bouquet will be really low cost. Is there a chance that they will adjust the price for my BM bouquets based on this? Or include them in this price? The prices I have seen on other sites for similar bouquets are between $20 and $50, so I just want to be sure I am not loosing any money!

Thanks

From what I understand there is no standard price per element of the escape package, and I believe Carrie mentioned in another thread about Escape weddings, the price only goes up and no trade offs. Like your bouquet is probably A LOT cheaper than others but they will just make your bouquet and not give you the difference. I doubt they'd give you a credit, it would be awesome if they did!

 

[irishthemeparkfan]

Hi,

couple of questions.

I'm having an escape wedding in May 2011.

Trying to work out overall cost.

Hopefully booking Randy next week for photography.

Anyone an idea of how much a desert party in uk lower will cost?

For the four night stay in disney do you get a discount on hotel price as I will be an annual pass holder?

 

[lurkyloo]

Anyone an idea of how much a desert party in uk lower will cost?

For the four night stay in disney do you get a discount on hotel price as I will be an annual pass holder?

A dessert party runs around $2,000 with transportation. If you can get them to let you meet an event guide at the International Gateway and walk in, you'll avoid about $450 in charter transportation fees. If you need transport, you could save by using limos, town cars or vans.

There is no room discount associated with the Escape package unless you set up a room block, and even then it's only 10%. But since you will have that annual pass, you can book any available AP rate.

Is there a place I can go online to look at the different pictures of flowers and cakes they have available for an escape wedding? I know you can kind of pay extra for things if they don't have what you want. And I have a specific flower bouquet in mind. It's kind of the most colorful flower bouquet ever. I figure I'm wearing white, why not jazz it up with some color!?

Inexplicably, Disney's shiny new website does not feature pictures of the standard Escape cake and bouquet choices next to the lists of choices, although the Escape bouquets are mixed in with all the other bouquets if you go to the Additional Floral>Bouquets section. You can just talk to your Escape Floral Planner about what you have in mind, and she'll tell you how much it will cost extra. I know what you mean about - I wanted my bouquet to be an explosion of color, so I provided them pictures of exactly what I was going for.

Here are the standard bouquet choices, but they aren't necessarily in these colors - in most cases you get a choice:

Calla Lily

Hand-tied Round French

Island

Cascade

Tussie Mussie

The difference is it's a smaller bouquet with a silver-colored plastic handle. Here's FigmentFan814's closeup of the handle at Franck's

Here are the standard cake designs on display at BoardWalk Bakery:

Mickey's Delight

Classic Romance

Modern Deco

Elegant Scrolls

Roses & Drapes

 

[weedee]

Wow there's a ton of great information on this thread, thank you everyone!

I am a new Disney bride!! We just booked our Escape wedding date for June 3rd 2010 at the Wedding Pavilion at 2:30 pm (still in the process of signing the contract, but we have the date so far!). I think my BIGGEST question is in regards to photography! I am trying to find opinions regarding outsider photographers and the Disney Photography package that comes with the Escape wedding. I've read a lot about Randy and Misty, plus Studio 222 looks awesome as well.

Why did everyone decide to go with outside photographers? Was it because you get more pictures of the before, during and after the ceremony?

Is the Disney photography included not of great quality?

What happened with your Disney Photographer? Did you trade them out, or if there were still there during the ceremony, how did you juggle having 2 photographers there?

Any recommendations on particular Disney Photographers?


Thanks ladies!! You guys are wonderful

 

[polynesianbride]

I haven't had my wedding yet but after much debate I did decide to go with an outside photographer. Here were some of my reasons:

1. The quality of Disney's photos seems to vary greatly between brides. Some are WONDERFUL but others are awful And sometimes it sounds like the photographers have been just plain rude.

2. You can't pick your photographer with Disney, I want to know who will be there on my wedding day not just hope it will be one of my top picks and feel really disappointed if it's not who I wanted.

3. Even if you could pick I didn't know who I would ask for... it seems I've heard mixed reviews on most of them. Now Disney does have a site and each photographer has a portfolio so that would be helpful but before that it was hard to compare them.

4. With Disney's package you only get 20 photos that they pick for you- they may not even be your favorites! Plus you don't own the rights to your pics and you have to pay big bucks to get your pics on a CD. Maybe someone else can chime in on what the price is now but when I did my comparison you could book Randy's smallest package (which includes a disc with the rights) for about the same price as buying Disney's disc... so to me it just made sense to know who my photographer was going to be since I was going to be spending that $ anyways to get the disc!

In the end I decided I really liked Misty Miotto's work so I decided to spend just a little more to have her but I feel 100% confident that I will LOVE my wedding photos... where before I was constantly stressing it.

Disney goes back and forth with what you can do with the photo portion of your package... it used to be you could receive a honeymoon shoot in place of it (this wasn't in wedding gear, just in the park during regular hours), then they wouldn't let you exchange for anything. Recently I have heard of brides having both Disney and their outside photographer there, Disney kind of stands in the background and lets your photographer take the lead. I'm not sure how that works though bc most photographers have in their contract that they will be the only photographer for the event.

Hope that helps! Good luck with your decision!

 

[weedee]

I haven't had my wedding yet but after much debate I did decide to go with an outside photographer. Here were some of my reasons:

1. The quality of Disney's photos seems to vary greatly between brides. Some are WONDERFUL but others are awful And sometimes it sounds like the photographers have been just plain rude.

2. You can't pick your photographer with Disney, I want to know who will be there on my wedding day not just hope it will be one of my top picks and feel really disappointed if it's not who I wanted.

3. Even if you could pick I didn't know who I would ask for... it seems I've heard mixed reviews on most of them. Now Disney does have a site and each photographer has a portfolio so that would be helpful but before that it was hard to compare them.

4. With Disney's package you only get 20 photos that they pick for you- they may not even be your favorites! Plus you don't own the rights to your pics and you have to pay big bucks to get your pics on a CD. Maybe someone else can chime in on what the price is now but when I did my comparison you could book Randy's smallest package (which includes a disc with the rights) for about the same price as buying Disney's disc... so to me it just made sense to know who my photographer was going to be since I was going to be spending that $ anyways to get the disc!

In the end I decided I really liked Misty Miotto's work so I decided to spend just a little more to have her but I feel 100% confident that I will LOVE my wedding photos... where before I was constantly stressing it.

Disney goes back and forth with what you can do with the photo portion of your package... it used to be you could receive a honeymoon shoot in place of it (this wasn't in wedding gear, just in the park during regular hours), then they wouldn't let you exchange for anything. Recently I have heard of brides having both Disney and their outside photographer there, Disney kind of stands in the background and lets your photographer take the lead. I'm not sure how that works though bc most photographers have in their contract that they will be the only photographer for the event.

Hope that helps! Good luck with your decision!

Wow thank you so much for your input!! It has helped confirm some of my own suspicions with DPS (the quality varying between brides) and I think we have decided to go with an outside photographer as well. I have a certain style that I look for in wedding photography and after looking through some DPS photos, I really only see it in the outside photographers. I have contacted 3 big ones this weekend (Randy, Misty, Studio 222) and will hopefully hear some info from them soon. Hopefully Disney will not let me just loose $$ by not using DPS!

Thanks again!

 

[Bethany66]

Really like that one. WE will actually get to put our money down in February, so I'll have more information for you. We are looking at a max of 18 guest, probably less and deciding between Canada (0900 am wedding) or Sea Breeze Pointe whenever is available for our date. GOing to do the "rehersal dinner" at Jiko's the night before. Planning for a DP at MGM. If we have an early morning wedding then we'll plan a lunch recepttion at Canada or Wofgang Pucks in Downtown Disney; they have excellent service, great food and good prices-FYI.
Anyway CONGRATS!!!!!!

 

[Wish on a Star]

Wow thank you so much for your input!! It has helped confirm some of my own suspicions with DPS (the quality varying between brides) and I think we have decided to go with an outside photographer as well. I have a certain style that I look for in wedding photography and after looking through some DPS photos, I really only see it in the outside photographers. I have contacted 3 big ones this weekend (Randy, Misty, Studio 222) and will hopefully hear some info from them soon. Hopefully Disney will not let me just loose $$ by not using DPS!

Thanks again!

I just had my wedding a little over a month ago, and we hired Randy Chapman to do photography. At first, Disney told me I was just out the money, and would use Randy and Randy alone. It was disappointed, but I knew Randy's pictures would be amazing! But then, about 2 months before my wedding, Disney changed it's policy and allowed DPS to work as a "Secondary Photographer" They put it like that on my BEO and everything. We got Joe from DPS and he worked almost as an assistant to Randy. Randy was the one telling us where to stand or look, and Joe was just snapping along side him. Joe and Randy already knew each other, and were really friendly with one another- which just added to the great day-
hope this helps!

 

[Chilly]

I just had my wedding a little over a month ago, and we hired Randy Chapman to do photography. At first, Disney told me I was just out the money, and would use Randy and Randy alone. It was disappointed, but I knew Randy's pictures would be amazing! But then, about 2 months before my wedding, Disney changed it's policy and allowed DPS to work as a "Secondary Photographer" They put it like that on my BEO and everything. We got Joe from DPS and he worked almost as an assistant to Randy. Randy was the one telling us where to stand or look, and Joe was just snapping along side him. Joe and Randy already knew each other, and were really friendly with one another- which just added to the great day-
hope this helps!

That's great to hear as I've got Randy booked and DPS as a 2nd photographer next month.

 

[DisneyLover12.24.09]

my husband and i got married six months ago and were absolutely in LOVE with jess cumbie, who we hired to shoot our disney wedding. we received the dvd of all of our photos months and months ago but it was a fantastic surprise when out of the blue i got an email from her about a photo album she recently put together of our wedding just for fun. i HAD TO SHARE with you girls!!!!

http://jesscumbie.smugmug.com/Misc-Galleries/Kaitlyn-Ryan-Album/12756228_MnWUu#919039929_EEEAV

 

[PrincessBubblyBoo]

Hi ladies!

I'm NYE (not yet engaged) but we are talking about a Disney wedding. It was his idea really because I have never been to Disney, but anyway, on to my questions.LOL

1. How does the reception work? I bought the ebook, but I'm still kinda confused. You can buy out a resturant/room and that's reception? Are you able to decorate it? Can you bring music?

2. Are the guests supposed to pay for admission to the wedding resort thing? I've never been to Disney, so I don't know where the resorts are and if they are outside the park or inside. If not, where are the guests required to pay?

Thanks a lot!

3. A

 

[lurkyloo]

1. How does the reception work? I bought the ebook, but I'm still kinda confused. You can buy out a resturant/room and that's reception? Are you able to decorate it? Can you bring music?

The Escape package doesn't include a reception, other than about 15 minutes of cake cutting with a toast and posing for pictures. It's up to you to either book a regular restaurant reservation or pay Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings to add on a private reception in a ballroom or a restaurant that's not open for business yet. If you book a private reception, you can add decorations. If you do a regular restaurant reservation, you may be able to work directly with the restaurant's manager and the Disney Florist to have centerpieces and favors and things set out on the tables for you. You can bring music to a private reception but not to a regular reservation during the restaurant's operating hours.

If you do book a private event, you are limited to 2 hours.

2. Are the guests supposed to pay for admission to the wedding resort thing? I've never been to Disney, so I don't know where the resorts are and if they are outside the park or inside. If not, where are the guests required to pay?

The only time your guests would have to pay is for admission to the theme parks. None of the resorts are inside the theme parks. Your guests never have to pay to attend the ceremony or the reception—if you do choose the one Escape wedding location that's inside a park (Canada at Epcot) they are not charged admission to attend your ceremony.

However, if you have a dessert party or a welcome party/rehearsal dinner inside a park, you will be charged a "viewing fee" (it's like a reduced admission fee) for each of your guests who does not have his/her own admission to the park.

 

[PrincessBubblyBoo]

Thanks so much! So glad on the no entrance fee for the resorts!

Might have to work around the reception though. It's really big for him.LOL

 

[supersuperwendy]

What a great thread! I'm so happy to subscribe!

My husband and I are in the early planning stages of a VR at WDW!!! Our 13th anniversary is Friday Oct. 26, 2012. We had our honeymoon at WDW in 1997 and it was great. We are so excited to plan a Disney Fairytale VR!

I called DFTW this morning with my first question. I was wondering if my guest's children count toward my guest count? Yes..any child age 3 and over counts.

That's tough for us. Most of our guests have kids and I don't want to be rude and ask them not to bring their kids to the ceremony. My friends are very understanding though so who knows, ugh. I'm thinking if we have a 5pm wedding at SBP or the YC Gazebo everyone could take their kids to The Sandcastle Club which opens at 4-4:30. It seems so rude though and I don't what to do. The older kids (teens) could even walk over to the arcade at the boardwalk if they want.

I like the fact that they will let you have extra guests for $500 so that's an option too.

We have a nice idea for a post ceremony "reception". We are DVC members and our home resort is AKV. We are going to book the Grand Villa at Jambo House and host our "reception" there!

It looks like with the Escape package 4 hours of transportation is included so our guests could be driven to Jambo I think! My brother lives locally in Orlando and I'm going to use his help finding some great catering that we could set up for our guests. The space is huge and has a great granite breakfast bar, dining room table, pool table and a HUGE balcony! I think it would be so sweet and intimate! I just found a video of the villa on youtube. It's kind of shaky, but gives a great sense of the space! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6amIB9yOjBI

We have a long road ahead of us and a lot of time till the magical day we say "I do" all over again so I'm looking forward to all of the great info this thread will provide!

 

[bellaminnie]

This is a great thread, thanks! Does anyone have pictures of their escape wedding at the yacht club wedding gazebo? I would love to see them. Where there any options to add lights to the gazebo?

Also can anyone recommend a location for the small dinner reception? I have been going to Disney for over 10 years and have not found a restaurant in the parks I really like but I’ve never eaten at any of the resorts.

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShea]

Also can anyone recommend a location for the small dinner reception? I have been going to Disney for over 10 years and have not found a restaurant in the parks I really like but I’ve never eaten at any of the resorts.

Thanks!

How small are you talking? I recommend bluezoo at the Dolphin, which is where I had my reception. They have a private room in the back that can be partitioned. The smallest partition holds 15 people.

 

[bellaminnie]

not really sure yet how many, less then 10 though. so how was the bluezoo? i've never been to the swan or dolphin. it looks pretty fancy and by judging from the menu i'd have to order off the kids menu i'm picky and my df is a veggie. we never eat out except at disney because of this.

 

[PrincessShea]

not really sure yet how many, less then 10 though. so how was the bluezoo? i've never been to the swan or dolphin. it looks pretty fancy and by judging from the menu i'd have to order off the kids menu i'm picky and my df is a veggie. we never eat out except at disney because of this.

I like bluezoo. I'm sure they have vegetarian options. You have to call and ask about the options.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

this may be un-conventional (and maybe a little odd).... but has anyone thought of (or will they let you) just do a champagne toast afterwards for pictures, then have your cake delivered to your reception (with fee of course). I can't imagine wanting to cut cake outside in the heat, juggle plates, etc... then go eat less than an hour later. That's just me. Think it's possible??

 

[gemmybear83]

this may be un-conventional (and maybe a little odd).... but has anyone thought of (or will they let you) just do a champagne toast afterwards for pictures, then have your cake delivered to your reception (with fee of course). I can't imagine wanting to cut cake outside in the heat, juggle plates, etc... then go eat less than an hour later. That's just me. Think it's possible??

I have read of lots of brides have a staged cake cutting and then take their cake with them to a restaurant reception (it is boxed up for you), or if you are adding on a reception with DFTW have the cake set up there